I SEWED A NEW SKIRT!!! :)
I could not let that little defeat get me down. I got up this morning and made another one! And I will be wearing it next week as we are going to cool down a bit here in the tundra!
I like it best either with very fitted, tucked in tops, or with a top that just hits over the waistband, like my B6183.
Full coverage...the "wrap" is an overlay
The only change I made was to do a 3/4" wedge in back for a 'full butt adjustment'
I've had my eye on this skirt pattern since it was released last fall. In general, New Look works well for me, even though I am into fewer and fewer patterns with each release.
At any rate, I am loving view A and was planning to sew that up. And then I got fixated on the moto jacket and saw a skirt nearly identical to view D, in black ponte, but with more of a yoke than a waistband. So of course I had to have one of my own!
Expecting this to go relatively quickly, I bumped it up in queue. It has a front cut on the fold, the overlay, the back and waistband/facings. It's done up with an invisible zipper (though an exposed zipper could work too!) and has a finished length of 17".
A little short for me. I added 2" in length to all 3 pattern pieces and added 1/2" to the back at the waist (and copied that to the back waistband). And because it's intended for a woven, I ended up with 3/4" side seams. So, using a knit didn't result in me going down a full size -- FYI! :) For something like this, I always attach the waistband to the individual pieces and then sew the side seams. Much easier to adjust that way (rather than sewing the skirt together and sewing the waistband together and then attaching them).
This was worked on a little bit at a time over a few days. The front overlay is hemmed and then is treated as one with the front pattern piece. I got that done and basted the sides (and took it in a little). I sewed up the side seams and got set on doing the finishing.
That day my daughter wore the black dress I'd made her. From the same fabric. That I was almost certain I'd pretreated. I normally wash fabric as soon as it comes through the door!
See, I've gotten burned before. I bought a jersey knit and sewed it up and then washed it and HOLY COW! It twisted and the color faded and it was just horrible. And so I adopted the mantra, "better to ruin a cut of fabric than a finished garment."
My daughter's dress was AT LEAST 3 inches shorter. Maybe 4...I looked over at my skirt and thought to myself "Oh crap..."
I decided I would finish the waistband (attach facing, understitch, stitch in the ditch) and then wash it before hemming. I washed on cold, air dried, being super cautious.
Well the skirt is now 18" unhemmed. It shrank just over 2 inches.
Well the skirt is now 18" unhemmed. It shrank just over 2 inches.
:SADFACE:
So I think, no biggie. I'll just use hem tape so I don't lose anymore length...
(overexposed)
But the waistband is all wrinkly, it shrank in length but surprise! the zipper, of course, didn't shrink! So it's all weird and bubbly. The topstitching on the overlay no longer looks good.
Wah. Wah. Wah.
I see so.many.! people say they don't pretreat knits. Please do. Please. Please. Please! Don't be like me! Don't be sad that you don't have a super cute skirt to wear with black opaque tights and boots today :(
So this is a wadder but I think the pattern is fantastic, and I will be making it again. Maybe this weekend. Because I really, really want it!
On me:
Stupid zipper bubbles :(
17" finished hem - no thank you! I will be making it at my originally intended 19" length
WAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All the puckers
This is not a loss. I love the pattern and know it works for me. I just have to sew it. Again. :sideye:
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Beware: Crappy photos ahead!
My mom is such a sweetheart. She is always trying her best to find things that we will like. She has a long history of calling me up before my birthday and asking "What size do you wear?" And for awhile now, that answer is "A 10 on top, 12 on bottom". And then she will get shorts or capris or something in a size 10. Because "that 12 looked so big!". And then I can't get them over my hips...or I can't zip them :)
Or like the super cute knit dress she bought me. In an XL. Because "It was so cute!". I can't wear an XL knit dress...maybe from Forever 21. LOL!
So this year she said "I bought you some jeans!" and I was prepared to be horrified (sorry Ma). Well HOT DOG!
I like these jeans enough to buy another pair! They are bootcut jeans from the J.Lo collection at Kohls. The waistband doesn't gape! My butt fits in them!!! Swoon!!!!
Sidenote: years ago I was so frustrated trying to buy jeans and found that the "urban" jeans fit best; Apple Bottom, Dereon, Coogi...Ah! They are made to accommodate a bigger booty/smaller waist combo a bit better than the average jean. But they were always so gaudy and overly adorned. Not my style at all. So I guess it makes sense that JLo's line is made to accommodate butts!
The regular length is 32.5". Yikes. I had to hem them shorter but luckily, they needed shortening 1.5". I was able to cut off the original hem-- I used my rotary cutter and cut inside, right next to the hem line-- and then I did a double turned 5/8" hem. I LOVE THEM!
I managed to find them on the site and they are a cotton/poly/lycra blend. I normally hate, hate, hate stretch wovens on my lower half. But I'm thinking the poly helps them keep their shape?? I wore them around after altering the length and they didn't seem to grow on me.
And now you may behold crappy bathroom pics because it was too dark in the house this morning. Welcome to fall.
(also, HELLOOOOO vanishing belly!)
Totally going to snag another pair in dark denim!!!
